Well Played
by BrutallyRomantic
Summary: Darkness is such a pretty contagion. / Oneshot


**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time in any way, shape or form.**

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An unseeing gaze fixed firmly on a point in blank space somewhere several feet before the twitching woman. Purple tinted evidence of her lack of sleep outlined Emma's eyes, making them appear sunken and more than a little wild.

It was the power, the darkness surging through her veins, that had done this to her, tearing her soul and heart so thoroughly apart that she couldn't seem to get them to communicate at all.

"Emma, appear!", the voice was firm. The bearer of the dagger..Killian. Her dearest wish was not to respond, but the tug of magic within the enchanted weapon in the pirate's palm had allowed her to resist his summons for only a minute. The folding of her being between the sliding fabric of reality was silky and rough and intoxicating, much like the power she now possessed.

How very small the man looked to her now was almost comical, the thought pulling a grunting laugh from her chest. Hook bore a confused expression at her lack of response beyond appearing, and it was to this that Emma latched on with a careless almost cruelty she now felt free to express.

" _What_? You called me, now what do you want? Did you expect me to come back with a _smile_ for you? A pat on the head for being _so clever_ as to summon me? Maybe you could get a little make out session with the Dark One now, huh? You sure your _frail male ego_ could take being the weaker in this relationship? Or wait.. no, _that's not a question_." Her features twisted in disdain for the man, especially now that she held memories from all of the Dark One's that came before her. Most especially because she could see his history as if it was written across his forehead in ugly puke coloured marker, lit from behind by the shallow puddle of grey he called a soul.

"Emma, _stop_!" The sharp tone grated on the woman in all the wrong ways, focus diverting immediately to Regina with a scowl.

"So tell me, Y _our Majesty_ , why is it you can never choose whether you want to call me by my last name or my first name? Am I only _Emma_ when you're trying to manipulate me? Or have you fallen into the _delusion_ that you're actually my friend now?" Regina joined the ranks of the emotionally wounded as her face contorted with Emma's every word, a determination still trying to find its way through the lonely ache the Dark One's words had instantly revived in Regina's battered heart.

"You don't know what you're saying, Emma, that's just the darkness trying to take control."

"Who are you trying to convince, _Regina_?"

"Emma, we just want to help you!" Hook interjected, to the dismay of the newly crowned Dark One as evidenced by her curling lip.

"I don't need your help. I'm finally _free_!" Hand shooting out, burying itself deep in Killian's chest, Emma ripped out his heart as easily as tearing through paper. Holding the organ up as a prize before Killian's shocked gaze, Emma gave it an experimental squeeze and released a gleeful laugh when the man doubled over in pain. "Looks like I'm the _only_ one in control of me now!"

Regina vanished where she stood, dissolving into purple magic to get the drop on the Dark One, only to find the spot where the blonde woman had stood empty as she reappeared.

"Come on now, Regina.." came the whispering voice from directly behind her, breath tickling the back of her neck and bring on chills of more than one variety, "Surely the _Evil Queen_ can do better than that." Swinging her arm around to punch the blonde, Regina was surprised to have made contact for a half second before Emma was gone, hell bent on playing this magical round of 'tag'.

"You just watch", muttered the former Queen. Rather than indulge the petulant and now dark woman, Regina poofed away and down into her vault, intent on finding a cure for this. A way to bring _her_ Emma back. Not that Emma was ever _hers_ per se, but the fact remained. She needed Emma. The town needed Emma.

"I guess goody-goody Regina lost all ability to have fun once she decided not be evil then, hm?" The sudden question made Regina jump and then bristle, glaring at an Emma lounging casually across a table, head and feet propped up on several books.

"Get down from there!"

Emma pouted playfully before hopping down and stalking towards Regina, clothed in what the Queen could almost identify as something she might have worn back in the old days. It suited Emma quite well, a fact of which the woman was likely fully aware with the way she moved her hips and dragged her lascivious gaze over Regina's frame. Her darkening features might have made Regina falter and take a step back were it not an expression she was only too familiar with, having seen in in the mirror time and time again.

"I only want to have _fun_ , Regina. Don't try and stop me." In her hand the still beating heart of Killian Jones remained, tainted but glowing faintly. She gave it a squeeze with a challenging glare aimed at Regina, waiting for a reaction which came swiftly. Regina made a mad grab for the thing, missing by a wide margin. Tsking lightly, Emma shook her head. "Going to have to do better than that."

Regina paused, though not for too long, coming to a decision that she hoped dearly did not display on her face. Stepping towards the cocky Dark One as if she was going to make another try for the heart in her hand, Regina instead twisted her body close and in one smooth move pressed her lips to Emma's forcefully. The feelings she had only vaguely and grudgingly begun to acknowledge burst in her chest and were nearly as forceful as her kiss as they impressed themselves upon every inch of her heart and soul.

Then Emma was gone and Regina was left wanting and confused. At her feet lay the heart and note with only two words.

 _Well played._

Even the brightness of Regina's dawning smile at the realization that Emma had to have felt _something_ could not outshine the glint of darkness that had once again come alive in her eyes. Picking up the heart with a tender hand, Regina examined it with an idly thoughtful gaze for a short moment before crushing it herself, brushing the dust daintily from her fingers. With the Dark One running about, who could tell who made what mess?

Darkness was such a pretty contagion.


End file.
